This invention relates generally to providing video information to a plurality of users in a video distribution system.
Current video distribution systems include pay per view systems which are available from cable and satellite television providers. In these systems, a variety of different pay per view movies are offered for viewing at a plurality of different times. The user must either join the video in progress or wait until a preset time when a new video begins. By offering a plurality of different starting times, these systems attempt to provide an approximation of video on demand.
In order to provide the video to a plurality of users at the exact times when they would like to have it, one might expect that a large bandwidth would be necessary. That is, given a large number of viewers, it would seem to be difficult to transmit different videos at a plurality of times given the bandwidth available with existing satellite and cable video distribution systems.
This means that the system users must accommodate their viewing desires to the existing bandwidth limitations of the video distribution system. Where those viewing desires do not correspond with the capabilities of existing systems, potential customers are lost.
Thus, it would desirable to provide a video distribution system which permits video distribution upon demand from the user.